From InfoWorld: Most of the PC vendors Google listed on its blog as partners for the new Chrome OS say they're evaluating the software but have not committed to creating devices around it, a far less upbeat message than Google had portrayed.

"We are studying Chrome," said Hewlett-Packard media relations officer Marlene Somsak, by e-mail. "We want to assess the capability Chrome may have for the computer and communications industries, and so we are studying it."

HP, the world's largest PC vendor, said that most of its products use Microsoft operating systems today, including Windows Mobile, XP and Vista. The company also sells machines with Linux for some computing customers.

Lenovo, China's largest PC vendor and the world's fourth biggest, said it is actively assessing Google Chrome OS's development and evaluating it based upon customer value. "Lenovo continually examines ways to bring customers more product choice and capabilities in terms of features and technologies," said Kristy Fair, in media relations at Lenovo.

Asustek Computer, pioneer of the netbook devices that Chrome may appear in first, also said it was evaluating Chrome.

View: Article @ Source Site

From PC World: Google's decision to create a new Internet-centric OS for netbooks shows the limitations of the Android mobile OS for netbooks and raises questions about its future on those devices, developers and analysts said.

While Google is adamant that Chrome OS is a separate project with a separate design goal and not meant to replace Android, observers have wondered why Google would choose to form two OS projects for netbooks rather than adapt Android for netbooks and PCs, especially while some developers already have ported the OS to netbooks.

In its blog post explaining what Chrome OS is on Wednesday, Google continued to attest that Android is suitable for netbooks, while explaining the difference between it and Chrome OS.

"Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks," the company wrote. "Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the Web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems."

The decision to create a different OS for netbooks rather than continue the work being done around Android "caught me off guard," said Frank Gillett, an analyst with Forrester Research. "I thought that, given that Android was based on Linux, they'd be able to stretch it," he said.

View: Article @ Source Site

From CNET News.com: Sprint Nextel will outsource its network to Ericsson in a seven-year deal valued at $4.5 billion to $5 billion.

The deal, announced Thursday, allows Sprint to offload the costs associated with running its network. Sprint will transfer 6,000 employees to Ericsson.

Ericsson will now handle all the day-to-day operations and maintenance. The transfer of the network and the employees that go with them is set to happen by the end of the third quarter.

Steve Elfman, Sprint's president of network operations and wholesale, said on a conference call that Sprint still owns its network and is responsible for strategic plans and investments. Elfman added that the goal is to improve the quality of the network and deploy next-generation technologies. Sprint will keep its customer service operations.

Sprint didn't disclose exact numbers on savings. Elfman said Sprint expects to cut cost per labor unit. Sprint will also avoid investment in the tools that Ericsson already has. Economies of scale will enable Sprint-Ericsson to cut costs on software licenses and other expenses. Those savings will be invested in expanding network coverage.

View: Article @ Source Site

From CNET News.com: Microsoft will bow to reality with Office 2010, adding browser-based versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote. But, in an interview this week, the head of Microsoft's Business Division says that there is still plenty of life in the full version.

"At the highest level, what we're able to put forward to our customers is not just the best productivity experience, but one that spans the PC, the browser environment, the Web environment, services, and so forth, and the mobile device," Elop said. "So, it's the best productivity experience across the PC, the mobile phone, and the browser."

At its worldwide Partner Conference on Monday, Microsoft will give people a feel for how this works and is expected to start broader testing of the first piece--the desktop applications.

As for Google, Elop said that most businesses still think of Google as a search company or are just kicking the tires on Google Docs. He shrugged off the fact that Google this week brought the products out of beta.

View: Article @ Source Site

It's been quite a few days since we've did this. Time to post them all!

PC Power & Cooling Silencer 910W PSU @ JonnyGURU.com
ECS GeForce GTS 250 @ DragonSteelMods
Razer Carcharias Headset Review @ Rbmods
OCZ Gladiator Max CPU Cooler Review @ Verdis Reviews
QNAP TS-809 Pro 8-Bay SATA NAS @ Benchmark Reviews
MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 790FX @ Futurelooks
Pure Digital Flip UltraHD Camcorder Review @ The TechZone
Gelid Solutions GC-2 @ eTeknix.com
Wacom Intuos4 Tablet @ t-break
USB Novelty Flash Drive Roundup @ TestFreaks
Auzentech X-Fi Forte @ OC3Dd
i3DSpeed, June 2009 @ iXBT Labs
SanDisk Ultra Backup 32GB @ Everything USB
be.ez LArobe 8.9 "Netbook Case Reviewed @ TestFreaks
Datel 'Edge' Nunchuk Controller for Wii @ OCModShop
Thermaltake Litepower 450Watt Power Supply Review @ Ninjalane
be quiet! Silent Wings USC Fan Review @ Technic3D
Anno 1404 Review @ ocaholic.ch
Scimitar Computers Vertex Pyramid Case @ techPowerUp
Fujifilm FinePix A150 Digital Camera Review @ Hardware Secrets
Super Talent Luxio 64GB @ CCE Reviews
Opera Unite Reinvents Sharing on the Web @ Futurelooks
ASUS Crosshair III Formula @ t-break
EVGA X58 SLI LE Motherboard Review @ Ninjalane
Thermaltake V1 AX CPU Cooler Review @ Bigbruin.com
be quiet! SilentWings USC fan review @ TweakPC.de
Razer Salmosa Gaming Mouse @ TechwareLabs
Speck QwickDraw iPhone Holster Reviewed @ TestFreaks
EnhanceBox E4 External Storage Solution @ TechwareLabs
Corsair CMPSU HX750W @ Technic3D
Sapphire HD 4770 512MB Review @ XSReviews
Samsung A850 52-inch LCD HDTV Review @ PCSTATS.com
Patriot TorqX 64GB SSD Harddrive Review @ Rbmods
NZXT Panzerbox Classic Series @ Techgage.com
Ultimate Ears MetroFi 220 Noise Isolation Earphones @ Futurelooks
ASRock NetTop ION 330 @ Benchmark Reviews
Enermax Liberty Eco 400W Power Supply @ OCModShop
MSI N285GTX Superpipe 2G PCIe Graphics card @ OC3D
BenQ Joybee GP1 Mini Projector review @ Techspot
Altec Lansing VS2421 @ Bigbruin.com
Seagate BlackArmor WS 110 @ TestFreaks
Razer Mamba Wireless Gaming Mouse @ Hardware Secrets
GELID WING UV Reactive Fans @ BurnOutPC
Huntkey V-Power 550 W Power Supply Review @ Hardware Secrets
MSI X-Slim X320 @ InsideHW
Xigmatek Midgard @ techPowerUp
Street Fighter IV (PC) Game Review @ Technic3D.
HornetTek Mirage HDD Media Player (1080i) Review @ ModSynergy.com
Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player @ Futurelooks
QNAP TS-809 Pro Turbo @ Tweaknews
Enermax Aeolus CP001 Notebook Cooler @ OCModShop
Vantec ezSHARE Adapter @ techPowerUp
NVIDIA CUDA video editing application round up @ Elite Bastards
Avantalk BTSP-200 Bluetooth Stereo Speakerphone @ Legit Reviews
Acer Aspire One D250 Netbook Review @ t-break
OCZ Behemoth Gaming-Mouse Review @ Technic3D
QNAP Upgrades Capabilities of Its Turbo NAS Servers @ QNAP
Seagate BlackArmor WS 110 @ t-break
Jetway MA3-79GDG Combo @ eTeknix.com
Mad Miner iPhone Game Review @ TestFreaks
Gigabyte Radeon HD 4350 Half-Height @ PCSTATS.com
Samsung LN52A850S1F A850 52-inch LCD HDTV Review @ PCSTATS.com
Enermax ECO 80+ 620 W Power Supply Review @ Hardware Secrets
How HTML 5 will change the World (Wide Web) @ TestFreaks

From DailyTech: AT&T has fired back against government criticism, led by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), which says the current wireless industry in the United States is anti-competitive and bad for consumers.

"The popularity of the iPhone and its innovative features and applications has provoked an unprecedented competitive reaction," AT&T Senior VP of legislative affairs James Cicconi said in a letter to Kohl.

At the start of the week, Kohl pleaded with the Department of Justice (DoJ) to look into the legality of exclusive handset agreements that most phone owners have to deal with when purchasing new mobile phones.

"U.S. wireless prices are much lower than in any other major industrialized country," Cicconi also noted in his letter.

View: Article @ Source Site

From CNET News.com: Google's Chrome OS isn't the first operating system to challenge Microsoft Windows' commanding lead. But it's got an advantage that other rivals such as Linux lacked: the Web.

Any new operating system must attract the developers who produce the applications to make it useful. The trouble Windows challengers have had is matching the wide spectrum of software available for Windows already.

That software includes mainstream titles such as Microsoft Office, Quicken, Adobe Photoshop, games, but also innumerable programs for narrower niches such as genealogy. Although some people are happy if they have the handful applications they need, an operating system needs broad support to achieve mass penetration.

Canonical's Ubuntu version of Linux has a lot of buzz as a desktop operating system, but when April 15 comes around, TurboTax doesn't run on it. Multiply that by all software the world needs and the Windows incumbent advantage becomes clearer.

Chrome OS faces the same applications challenge as any other operating system, but it's rising to that challenge in a different way. It includes the Chrome browser running on a stripped-down version of Linux, but the applications won't run on Linux, they'll run on the Internet. Chrome is the conduit to the Web applications, and Chrome OS is the vehicle by which Google will get the browser installed on Netbooks starting in the second half of 2010, the company promises.

View: Article @ Source Site

From CNET News.com: Microsoft said on Thursday that it will issue six security updates on Patch Tuesday next week, including a critical one that will fix two outstanding holes in DirectX that have been targeted in attacks.

In May, Microsoft announced that there had been attacks against a DirectX vulnerability that could allow someone to take complete control of a computer using a maliciously crafted QuickTime file.

Earlier this week, Microsoft warned of attacks being launched that exploit a hole in the Video ActiveX Control when used in Internet Explorer for recording and playing video in DirectShow. Microsoft offered a workaround on Monday for that hole, which reportedly it had known about since last year.

The ActiveX control vulnerability was likely independently rediscovered by malicious hackers or leaked through the Microsoft Active Protection Program which the company uses to share early security information with third-party vendors, according to a statement from security firm Rapid7.

Asked for comment, a Microsoft spokeswoman provided a statement that said: "Microsoft received the original, private report from Ryan Smith and Alex Wheeler with IBM ISS X-Force in the early Spring of 2008. The company did not share any information with MAPP partners about the reported Video ActiveX Control vulnerability until immediately before the advisory posting on Monday."

View: Article @ Source Site